T20I series will be decided on how West Indies batters bat against spin in middle overs, says Rovman Powell

Tarouba, Aug 4 (IANS) After winning the first T20I against India by four runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, West Indies captain Rovman Powell believes his team’s batting against the visitors’ spinners in the middle overs will play a crucial role in deciding who emerges as the winner of the series.

West Indies suffered a slowdown in their scoring in the middle overs -– going from 54-2 after the end of the first six overs to 96-3 at the end of 14. India’s spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel took three wickets between themselves in their nine overs combined.

After Nicholas Pooran fell for 41 off 34 balls, Powell took centre stage by hitting 48 off 32 balls and taking West Indies to 149-6 on a slow pitch. 

"It was difficult. We always knew that the new ball was going to give us runs. It was always going to be a good powerplay and then it (was going to) slow down in the middle, because they have a lot of very good spinners."

"This series will be decided on how West Indian batters bat spin in those middle overs. If we bat spin good during the middle overs, then we have a lot of batters at the back end and we have a lot of power in the back end."

"That makes left-handers -– (Shimron) Hetmyer, (Nicholas) Pooran and Kyle Mayers - very, very important for those middle overs. It was going to be difficult to start, it's always difficult to start in the Caribbean. But once you get a start, runs are there," said Powell after the game ended.

In contrast to India’s spin troika, West Indies played just one specialist spinner in Akeal Hosein, who gave away just 17 runs in four overs, and dismissed Shubman Gill in India’s run-chase of 150. Despite Tilak Varma shining in his debut with a fine 39, all-round Jason Holder's spell of two for 19, including a double-wicket maiden, helped West Indies get over the line, apart from Romario Shepherd defending 10 runs in the last over.

Powell admitted that he was wondering if West Indies played a spinner less but appreciated Holder for being the match-winner. 

"After watching what the Indians bowled, I was thinking if we were a spinner short, to be honest. But we've got to utilise what we have and back our skills. We know what our fast bowlers bowl, with many changeups, it will be difficult for the Indians."

"It was a game (for West Indies) to lose, to be honest. Because they didn't have a set batter, one of their top six batters wasn't there. So I was confident going into the last over. Not just the 18th over, he (Holder) summed up the conditions very well. At the interval, he tells us in the dressing room that 'pace off -- force the Indians to hit the ball, not use the pace', and Jase was fantastic."

West Indies now have a 1-0 lead in the five-game series and will play the second T20I against India at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Sunday.